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Technology Stocks : WDC/Sandisk Corporation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neil Kalton who wrote (1505)	11/13/1997 12:45:00 AM
From: OrionX	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 60323

Neil, I always have my doubts about people commenting not from a technology perspective but from the angle that "Well the other company is bigger and knows how to design what poeple want". OK, so what! Where's your proof? >>>As for speculation that digital camera makers and other handheld device OEMs would not want a mechanical drive in their products - don't be so sure of this. IOM is very savvy. If they were savy how come they had a major recall of the Jaz drive? Also, the more people I meet, the more they are switching to the SyJet - better, faster, quieter, more reliable... >>>They conduct alot of market research and manufacture products that people want. If this product was not feasible then IOM wouldn't be attacking this market with such vigor (n.hand is their featured product at next weeks Comdex). Also don't underestimate IOM's marketing muscle. It is commonly argued that the Zip and Jaz are inferior to many competing products yet IOM outsells their competitors at a startling rate. <<< What does feasibility have to do with anything? If you want to discuss iomega and their technology we should take this off to the iomega thread. But let me say this. Sony is a much BIGGER company than iomega and their "floppy" solution (looked feasible to Sony) like their MD is not going anywhere. So does size make success? I'm sure it helps, in terms of marketing, but being first out the gate and with a superior technology, and having signed up practically every company under the sun goes a long way to success and Sandisk has done this. Kodak has pretty much signed up with many companies too for fear of being left out. Many companies sign up many technologies but then knock off those that don't sell. So what's your point? In the end it is the customer that will make the final decision. Iomega's device probably has some good uses, may be complementary to CF in some products but I'm still not convinced it will be of any competition to Sandisk. Your speculation of iomega competing with Sandisk is like saying that DD compete with CF. Sure there is some overlap but mainly complementary. I don't know exactly what iomega is going to announce tomorrow, but let me tell you this. The whole point of replacing traditional film is to provide the flexibility that digital systems offer such as NO MOVING PARTS! The future of storage technology at any level is to have NO MOVING PARTS! Sure a disk-type device may offer more MB per dollar but so what. Sandisk's CF price will come down, and density will be going up very soon with enough storage for even the most demanding professional photographer. So in closing, other than repeating any iomega rhetoric, what makes you BELIEVE that iomega has any viable competition to CF???? Where's the substance of your argument other than iomega says so???? Mauro.

To: Neil Kalton who wrote (1505)	11/13/1997 3:51:00 AM
From: Mike Winn	Respond to of 60323

The following is an old article from May 97 but its content is still valid: techweb.com Excerpt: =================== There are three primary contenders for image storage cards. SanDisk, the company that pioneered PC Card ATA flash memory, is leading the parade for the CompactFlash (CF) standard. Half the size of a PC Card, CF cards fit readily into PC Card Type II slots by employing an adapter. On the downside, desktop PCs do not have PC Card slots. Intel is leading a substantial challenge to CF with its Intel Miniature Card. The Mini Card is plagued by the fact that it requires a flash file system (FFS) on the host (e.g., digital camera). The third contender is Toshiba with its SmartMedia card which also requires a FFS. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Iomega entered the fray with a scaled down version of the Zip drive. Although it has a cost per megabyte advantage, it will not stand up to the bumps and tumbles of the digital camera user as well as flash. SanDisk, Intel and Toshiba all have supporters among other suppliers as well as digital camera OEMs. However, in my opinion, there will not be three "standards" for digital camera removable media. There may be two for a short time (two years); but, in the end, even two types of media greatly complicate the life of the consumer and of distribution. Within four years there is likely to be only one. Which one? The picture is fuzzy today, but it is likely to clear up soon.